World Athletics President Sebastian Coe traveled to Ukraine, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and spoke with Ukrainian athletes.
“President Coe traveled to Ukraine last weekend to see firsthand the situation of athletes preparing for the country’s first Olympics since the war,” the WAAF said on Feb. 2 (KST). “He also met with President Zelensky and pledged to continue his support for Ukrainian athletics.”
Coe met with Zelensky in Kiev on June 28, local time, Ukraine’s Constitution Day.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the World Association of Athletics Federations has raised funds to help Ukrainian athletes train and compete.
“Our federation will continue to support Ukrainian athletics,” Coe promised, and President Zelensky thanked him.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has allowed athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics in “individual status,” but the World Association of Athletics Federations has banned the two countries from international competition.
No Russian or Belarusian athletes will compete in track and field events at the Paris Games.
“We are grateful for the strong action taken by the Athletics Federation,” Zelensky said, “The Russian invasion destroyed more than 500 Ukrainian sports facilities and killed more than 400 athletes. The ban of Russian athletes from international competitions is a reasonable decision.”
Koh also invited Zelensky to attend the track and field events at the Paris Olympics.
On June 29 local time, Coe traveled to Lviv, home of the Ukrainian Athletics Championships, to meet with athletes supported by the World Athletics Ukraine Fund.
“When we arrived at the stadium, the 200-meter race was delayed due to an air raid warning,” he said. “We saw the harsh reality that Ukrainian athletes face,” he said. “I was impressed by their determination. Our federation will continue to work hard for Ukrainian athletics,” he promised. 안전놀이터